"It looks like a fox?" Sasuke said, raising an eyebrow.
"I can probably..." Naruto started. Sasuke took a closer look, then gave a smirk.
"I always thought your hair was a rat's nest, not a fox's." Sasuke said, poking an ear.
"Huh?" Naruto said, dumbfounded.
"Come on idiot, stop fraternizing with the wild life. Breakfast is ready," Sasuke snapped.
Naruto reached up to his head but went more to the center. He picked it up so he could look at it. The white and red fox opened its eyes and yawned. Naruto began to laugh. "It was a fox! It was just an ordinary fox... sleeping on my head." Naruto laughed, relieved.
"Well duh, what did you think it was?" Sasuke asked, looking at Naruto strangely.
'Kyuubi, I take it you did it for me?'
"Not unless there is someone or something else in here with me that sensed him coming. If there is, please do tell. I would love the company," The fox replied sarcastically. 'Saves me a long line of questions I have to answer.' "I'm sure you'll find some way to thank me."
Naruto looked up at Sasuke, who was sporting his usual bored expression. "Heh heh, foxes like me," Naruto grinned.
"Well at least something does," Sasuke said before walking away. Naruto placed the fox on the ground and followed after him.
After they had eaten their meal Kakashi told them that Tazuna was going to go and work on the bridge and they were going to make sure that nothing bad happened. "Here! Take these with you in case you get tired!" Tsunami said as they were about to leave. She handed them all a water bottle, each one looking the same.
When they had finally reached the bridge team 7 noticed there weren't many people that were there to help build the bridge. Tazuna started getting to work and convincing people to stay. Naruto sighed as he took a sip from his water bottle. 'Hey! This isn't water, it's sake! I must have gotten the one meant for the old man! Oh well, I could use a drink...' Naruto thought to himself as he took a bigger sip.
"Kit, I don't think you should drink too much of that," Kyuubi advised. I can handle about three or four BOTTLES before I get drunk.' "This stuff smells strong, and besides, your child body can't handle that much alcohol." 'That's improsabul...' Naruto thought to the fox. "See, you're already getting tipsy. Improsabul? When we went back you were able to keep your strength because of your own memory and that memory is transferred to your body so it knows how to react. However, holding your liquor you can't memorize..." Kyuubi said, hoping that Naruto wouldn't get drunk.
"Hey Naruto, you ok?" Sakura asked.
"Yeah /hic/ I think so," Naruto said, staggering a little on his feet. "Too late," the Kyuubi sighed.
"You look sick," Sakura said. "Maybe you should lie down? Sasuke and I can watch things."
"Eh? Sasuke/hic/" Naruto replied, not really understanding. Kakashi noticed Naruto staggering and decided to take a look, Sasuke following.
"What's wrong with him?" Sasuke asked miserably.
"Ha ha, hey/hic/ Sasuke, we should get the group back /hic/ together! Sing to the girls/hic/, they always liked that!" Naruto said, swinging an arm over Sasuke's shoulder.
"What are you talking about... get off," Sasuke said, pushing the blond away.
"After ya kicked da booket da /hic/ four o us split! Couldn't replace ya!" Naruto said, stressing the syllables on every word. He took another swig of the alcohol. Kakashi took the bottle from him, then his eye turned up into a smile.
"He'll be fine, he's just drunk!" he said happily.
"Grreeeeeaaaaat..." Sasuke rolled his eyes.
"Booket? Is that even a word? You're drunk." The fox sighed. "I drunk not am!" Naruto shouted. "Idiot."
"Who ya calling an idiot?" Naruto said, staggering. "You for getting drunk! And on a mission no less!"
"A mission/hic/?" Naruto said.
"Naruto, who are you talking to?" Sakura asked
"The fuzz ball fox that /hic/ lives in my head." Naruto blinked a bit.
"Umm, right..." Sakura said. Not noticing Kakashi's eye widen in horror.
"Now he said that he was going to take control of my body inca /hic/ In-ca-/hic/-spick-u-us-ly... before I hurt myself! And others..." Naruto said, then staggered back a bit. Kakashi was silently freaking out. "He just called me a dumbass/hic/ but.../hic/ I am above him/hic/ I have opposable thumbs!" Naruto yelled at the top of his lungs giving thumbs up. The genin of team seven sweat dropped, while Kakashi face faulted.
'Note to self... teach Naruto not to mock the big fox demon who wants to kill us all,' Kakashi thought as he stood up.
Naruto's eyes closed and when he reopened them his pupil had a small ring of red around it, though it went unnoticed to all but Kakashi. "W-well I'm g-going to have a l-little talk with Naruto about... the importance of underage drinking!" With that he took Naruto off into the nearby woods that were across the bridge.
"He does mean the importance of not drinking underage... right?" Sakura asked Sasuke, but saw he was already walking back to Tazuna.
Kakashi had Naruto/Kyuubi by the wrist and was doing his best to stay calm. "What are you g-going to do with Naruto? Are you going to use his body to get revenge on Konoha?" Kakashi said, trying his best to hide his fear and uncovering the sharingan.
Kyuubi raised an eyebrow. "I would do that, why?" he said calmly. This comment startled him.
"Y-you're not going to kill my team..." Kakashi said as threateningly as he could.
"No, I am not going to harm, maul, or kill anyone in any way," Kyuubi said, getting annoyed. "The only reason I'm taking control of the kit is because the last time he got drunk he... well, let's just say he wasn't allowed anything pointy for a while..."
Kakashi gulped; he was finally going to ask the question that had been plaguing him for twelve years. "Why did you attack Konoha twelve years ago?" Kakashi asked, a little calmer now. Kyuubi looked his straight in the eye, startling him.
"I was just passing by in a forest that surrounded your village. I had shrunk my size, so I was no larger than a big dog. A few leaf ninja spotted me and thought I was sneaking towards the village to attack. They attacked me, I tried to evade but I wasn't quick enough as I was. I thought I could cover more ground if I had bigger paws so I went to my normal size. That's when the village sounded the alarm. I was being attacked by nearly everyone I saw! So I was labeled by everyone as a threat. I attacked, hoping that everyone would just leave me alone. I was then confronted by the Hokage. Who sealed me into this kit."
"So you did have reasons other then just wanting a blood bath," Kakashi said, more to himself than the fox.
"I could only stay on the defensive for so long."
Kakashi nodded. "Now that I know the story I understand," Kakashi said, bringing his forehead protector back down.
"The kit will be out of his drunken stupor soon, thanks to my healing powers," Kyuubi said and Kakashi nodded, still wary of the Kitsune.
"So then, Naruto knows?" Kakashi said. Kyuubi-Naruto gave him a look that let an unspoken "duh" hang in the air.
"How long has he known?" Kakashi asked seriously.
'Since he was twelve but I can't exactly say that...' the Kitsune thought. "Since he was, um, four."
Kakashi's eye widened in surprise. "The boy knew all this time? And yet he still..." his voice trailed off. "How did he find out?"
'Shit... ummm... damn the kit's better at thinking up lies...' "Well, he fell asleep during a meditation thing he was doing trying to open his chakra paths and when he fell asleep he was brought to me," The Kitsune said, shifty-eyed.
"Naruto will have to come with me to the Hokage when we get back." Kyuubi-Naruto nodded.
"Naruto is sobering up a little." Kakashi nodded. Kyuubi-Naruto closed his eyes and when they reopened they were once again pure blue.
"I now have a hangover...perfect," Naruto said, holding his head. He looked up at a somewhat startled Kakashi. Naruto blinked. "Umm I can explain? Or pay for whatever I broke?" Naruto offered.
Kakashi shook his head. "It's not that. When you found out about the Kyuubi, why didn't you tell anyone that you knew?" Naruto hung his head as if in shame. 'Kyuubi! What did you tell him so I can add to it and not have two different stories!'
"You first met me when you were four during a mediation exercise when you fell asleep."
"I didn't want it to spread. After I woke up I felt relived I finally knew why everyone hated me, yet I didn't want anyone else to hate me."
Kakashi nodded. "After we get back to Konoha we will have to tell the Hokage," Kakashi said calmly. Naruto nodded. "Now, let's go back to the others."
Back on the bridge Sakura was hopelessly trying to get Sasuke to notice her by... following him around like a lost puppy, and talking his ear off. Sasuke was getting annoyed and was actually hoping the blond idiot would get back soon. Sasuke let out an aggravated sigh, hoping Sakura would leave and go do something else. Message not received. Sakura just kept talking. Finally he saw Kakashi and Naruto walking back.
He sighed again only to hear... laughter? He turned around to see foggy mist setting in over the bridge, limiting his vision. Kakashi and Naruto had run over and Kakashi was now in front of his students and the builder.
"Hmmph! So here we are, it's our rematch!" Zabuza came out of the mist and stood close enough so his figure was made out in the fog. "And this time I won't underestimate those brats!" he yelled as Haku jumped behind Sasuke and Naruto.
Sasuke immediately started attacking Haku, pushing him back deeper into the fog and away from Kakashi and Zabuza. "Sakura! Protect Tazuna!" Kakashi yelled as he started lifting his headband, showing his Sharingan. They then began to battle.
Sasuke had gotten a few hits in on Haku, but Haku had the upper hand. "You are quite good. However, what I'm about to do next will be the last thing you see," Haku said calmly as he brought his hands into a seal. "Secret jutsu! Crystal ice mirrors!" Sasuke looked around as several rectangular blocks of ice rose up and had an image of Haku on each one.
"HEY SASUKE!" Naruto yelled from the outer side of the ice. The next thing he knew Naruto was right in front of him, about three inches from his face. "Look, I snuck in here to help you out!" Naruto said happily.
"Idiot," Sasuke muttered.
"Don't worry, I'll be helpful!" Naruto somewhat pouted. 'Now, while they're distracted!' Haku thought as he threw a senbon needle at Sasuke, hoping to hit his lower spine. However, at the exact moment the needle left Haku's hand Sasuke started to stand up. The needle then hit Sasuke square on the ass...
Sasuke, feeling the pain jumped forward... right into Naruto. The two friends met in an unfortunate... ermmm... experience? As the two broke apart they began gagging, holding their throats. "YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Naruto hollered.
"YOU JACKASS!" Sasuke yelled back. 'Ick! I thought I escaped that misfortune when I just sat in a seat in class!' Naruto thought, spitting.
"Best not tell anyone about it... your wife might think you were cheating on her!" the fox burst out laughing.
Haku was finding it quite hard to stay calm and composed watching the whole scene. "I CAN'T BELIeVE YOU JUST... JUST...KISSED ME!" Naruto screamed. Haku couldn't take it any more! The looks on their faces were getting to him! Naruto looked at a mirror. "YOU'Re ENJOYING THIS ARN'T YOU! YOU BASTARD!" Haku couldn't help it. He was losing control of his mirrors.
Naruto had walked back to Sasuke and was holding him by the front collar of his shirt. "This never leaves the dome..." Naruto said to Sasuke, who could only nod. Haku lost control of his mirrors completely. The images shattered and the real one fell from the one he was in... which was right above Naruto.
Haku fell on Naruto, knocking him forward. Sasuke lost his balance and fell backwards. Naruto, after recovering from his shock, sat up on Sasuke. "YOU GAY BASTARD!" Naruto and Sasuke both yelled.
"YOU KISSED ME AGAIN!" Naruto screamed at the top of his lungs. Naruto turned to Haku, who was rolled up into a ball laughing. "I SWEAR TO GOD I'LL BEAT YOU TO A BLOODY PULP FOR THIS!"
"Umm Naruto..." Sasuke said, getting Naruto's attention.
"Hmm?" Naruto asked.
"WILL YOU GET THE HELL OFF OF ME?" Sasuke yelled. Naruto then realized the position that he and Sasuke were in.
"AAGH!" Naruto yelled as he stood up away from Sasuke. This gave Haku only more to laugh at. The two turned to him.
Sasuke's anger kept rising. He could see red! Literally... "Got some rope?" Naruto asked through gritted teeth, taking notice that Sasuke's sharingan was activated. Sasuke nodded and handed Naruto a long rope. "YOU ARE GOING TO GET SO MUCH DONE TO YOU!" Naruto yelled as he started to tie the hunter nin up. Haku had stopped laughing but was in a stupor when Sasuke punched the Nin in the head.
Outside the icy dome, Kakashi, Tazuna, Zabuza and Sakura had turned their heads towards where Naruto and Sasuke had run off, and were listening ever since they had heard the first yell. They were all still until the yelling stopped. "Umm..." Kakashi looked at Zabuza. "Should we check on them?" Kakashi asked.
"Don't change the subject. We're still fighting here! And besides, it sounds like they're getting along just fine..." Kakashi looked somewhat disturbed at what the other man had said. "In the current situation it would be wise to choose your words carefully..."
Sakura looked thoroughly disgusted. "Do I even want to know what poor Sasuke is going through?" she asked herself. A sharp noise caught her ears. She turned to look towards her teacher who was currently holding a glowing blue ball.
"CHIDORI!" Kakashi screamed as he charged at Zabuza.